21 Delicious Side Dish Recipes for Your Holiday Feast

Transform your holiday table with these show-stopping sides that steal the spotlight

The holidays are all about gathering with loved ones around a table filled with delicious food, warm conversation, and cherished traditions. While the turkey or ham might be the star of your holiday feast, let’s be honest—it’s often the side dishes that truly make the meal memorable. From creamy mashed potatoes that disappear in minutes to perfectly seasoned vegetables that convert even the pickiest eaters, these supporting players deserve just as much attention as your main course.

Whether you’re hosting your first holiday dinner or you’re a seasoned entertaining pro looking to refresh your menu, having a repertoire of reliable, delicious side dishes is essential. The key is finding that perfect balance between crowd-pleasing classics and exciting new flavours that will have your guests asking for recipes.

We’ve gathered 21 exceptional side dish recipes that cover all the bases—from traditional stuffings and gravies to innovative vegetable preparations and comfort food classics with a twist. These dishes are designed to complement your holiday spread while being manageable enough to prepare alongside your main course.

Creating the Perfect Balance

When planning your holiday side dishes, aim for variety in flavours, textures, and colours. A well-rounded holiday spread typically includes:

Starchy sides (potatoes, stuffing, bread)
Vegetable dishes (both green vegetables and root vegetables)
Rich, indulgent options (gratins, casseroles)
Fresh, lighter elements (salads, herb-forward dishes)

Make-Ahead Strategy

Many of these side dishes can be partially or completely prepared in advance, which is crucial for holiday entertaining success. Look for recipes that can be assembled the day before and simply reheated, or components that can be prepped ahead and quickly finished on the day of your feast.

Dietary Considerations

Today’s holiday tables often need to accommodate various dietary preferences and restrictions. We’ve included options that work for vegetarian guests, and many recipes can be easily adapted for gluten-free or dairy-free needs with simple substitutions.

Classic Holiday Stuffings

Seasonal Stuffing

This elevated take on boxed stuffing proves that convenience doesn’t mean sacrificing flavour. With the addition of savoury sausage, sweet apples, and tart cranberries, this stuffing delivers all the complex flavours your guests expect from a made-from-scratch dish, but with a fraction of the effort.

Why it works: The combination of textures—from the tender bread base to the chewy cranberries and crisp apple pieces—creates interest in every bite. The sausage adds richness and depth, while the fruit provides natural sweetness that balances the savoury elements.

Pro tips:

Use a good-quality boxed stuffing mix as your base
Choose a flavourful sausage like Italian or sage sausage
Don’t skip the step of sautéing the apples briefly—this prevents them from releasing too much moisture during baking

Cornbread and Spicy Chorizo Stuffing

For families who love bold flavours, this stuffing brings the heat with spicy chorizo and the sweet, crumbly texture of cornbread. It’s a departure from traditional sage-based stuffings that will create new holiday memories.

What makes it special: The chorizo releases its flavourful oils during cooking, infusing every piece of cornbread with smoky, spicy goodness. The cornbread’s natural sweetness provides the perfect counterpoint to the sausage’s heat.

Make-ahead tip: The cornbread can be made days in advance and stored in an airtight container. The stuffing can be assembled the morning of your feast and baked when needed.

Perfect Gravies and Sauces

Perfect Gravy

No holiday meal is complete without smooth, flavourful gravy, and this foolproof method delivers restaurant-quality results every time. The secret lies in proper technique and building layers of flavour.

The technique: Start with pan drippings from your roasted meat for maximum flavour. If you’re short on drippings, enhance store-bought stock with aromatics like onion, celery, and herbs. The key to lump-free gravy is whisking constantly and adding liquid gradually.

Troubleshooting common issues:

Too thin? Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with cold water and whisk into the simmering gravy
Too thick? Gradually whisk in warm stock or broth
Lumpy? Strain through a fine-mesh sieve before serving
Bland? Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of wine or sherry

Make-ahead strategy: Gravy can be made up to two days in advance. Reheat gently, whisking in additional stock if needed to reach the desired consistency.

Show-Stopping Potato Dishes

Bacon Mashed Red Potatoes with Buttermilk

These aren’t your average mashed potatoes. The red potatoes provide a naturally creamy texture with more character than russets, while the buttermilk adds tangy complexity that cuts through the richness of the bacon.

Why red potatoes? Red potatoes have a naturally waxy texture that creates incredibly creamy mashed potatoes without becoming gluey. They also hold their shape well and don’t require peeling.

The buttermilk difference: Buttermilk is surprisingly low in fat but high in flavour. Its natural tang brightens the entire dish and prevents the heavy, overly rich feeling that can come from traditional butter-and-cream mashed potatoes.

Hasselback Potatoes

These Swedish-inspired potatoes look incredibly impressive but are surprisingly simple to make. The accordion-like cuts allow seasonings to penetrate the potato while creating crispy edges and a fluffy interior.

Technique tips:

Place the potato between two wooden spoons while cutting to prevent slicing all the way through
Fan the slices gently after cutting to create space for seasonings
Brush with melted butter or olive oil between the cuts for maximum crispiness
Add breadcrumbs and cheese in the final 10 minutes for extra indulgence

Cheesy Potato Puffing Cups

Kids and adults alike love these individual potato portions that bake up golden and puffy. Using prepared mashed potatoes makes them incredibly easy to assemble, perfect for busy holiday schedules.

Assembly secrets:

Use a muffin tin for perfect portions
Add an egg to help the potatoes puff and hold their shape
Top with cheese in the final few minutes to prevent burning
Serve immediately while they’re at their puffiest

Cheddar and Potato Prairie Pierogies

Bring some Prairie comfort food to your holiday table with these handmade pierogies. While they require a bit more effort, they’re a wonderful family project and create lasting holiday memories.

Family assembly line: Set up stations for rolling dough, filling, sealing, and cooking. Even young children can help with the filling process, making this a true family tradition.

Shortcut option: Use round dumpling wrappers from the grocery store instead of making dough from scratch. They work beautifully and save considerable time.

Vegetable Stars

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almond Slivers

This preparation converts even die-hard Brussels sprouts skeptics. Shaving the sprouts raw creates a slaw-like texture that’s much more appealing than mushy overcooked sprouts.

Preparation method: Remove outer leaves and trim the stem end, then slice as thinly as possible. A food processor with a slicing blade makes quick work of this task.

Flavour building: Sauté the shaved sprouts quickly over high heat until just wilted but still bright green. The toasted almonds add crucial textural contrast and nutty flavour.

Maple Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Pine Nuts

This dish celebrates the natural sweetness of root vegetables while adding sophisticated flavours that elevate the entire meal. The maple syrup caramelizes during roasting, creating an irresistible glaze.

Roasting tips:

Cut vegetables into uniform pieces for even cooking
Don’t overcrowd the pan—vegetables should roast, not steam
Add pine nuts in the final 5 minutes to prevent burning
A touch of fresh thyme at the end brightens the entire dish

Sweet Spiced Baby Carrots

Transform humble baby carrots into something special with warm spices and a hint of sweetness. This budget-friendly side dish punches above its weight in terms of flavour.

Spice combinations that work:

Cinnamon and nutmeg for warmth
Cumin and paprika for earthiness
Fresh ginger and orange zest for brightness

Almond Butter Green Beans

All the elegance of green beans almondine with minimal effort. This technique preserves the bright colour and crisp texture of the beans while adding rich, nutty flavour.

The technique: Blanch green beans until bright green and just tender, then quickly sauté with butter and sliced almonds. The residual heat finishes the cooking without overcooking the beans.

Crowd-Pleasing Gratins and Casseroles

Bacon Cauliflower Gratin with Cheddar and Fontina

This indulgent gratin transforms cauliflower into something irresistible. The combination of sharp cheddar and creamy fontina creates the perfect cheese sauce, while bacon adds smoky depth.

Cheese selection: Using two cheeses creates complexity—the cheddar provides sharp flavour while the fontina melts smoothly and adds creaminess.

Preparation strategy: The cauliflower can be blanched and the cheese sauce prepared a day ahead. Assemble and bake on the day of serving.

Cauliflower Gratin with Thyme and Hazelnuts

For a more elegant take on cauliflower gratin, this version features fresh thyme and crunchy hazelnuts. It’s refined enough for the fanciest holiday table while remaining approachable.

Hazelnut preparation: Toast hazelnuts in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes until fragrant. Rub with a kitchen towel to remove skins, then chop coarsely.

Winter Vegetable Croustade au Gratin

This hearty dish showcases the best of winter vegetables in a golden, bubbly gratin that’s substantial enough to satisfy vegetarian guests while complementing meat-based main courses.

Vegetable suggestions:

Root vegetables: carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga
Cruciferous vegetables: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli
Squash varieties: butternut, acorn, delicata

Comfort Food Classics

Brown Sugar Butternut Squash

This shortcut version of traditional butternut squash casserole uses pre-diced fresh squash and canned sweet potato to create a dish that tastes like it simmered all day.

Time-saving tricks:

Look for pre-cut butternut squash in the produce section
Canned sweet potato adds creaminess without extra cooking time
A touch of brown sugar enhances the natural sweetness

Butternut Squash & Apple Mash

The combination of butternut squash and apples creates a side dish that bridges the gap between savoury and sweet. It’s particularly appealing to children while offering sophisticated flavours adults love.

Apple selection: Choose firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp that won’t break down completely during cooking.

Roasted Squash Wedges

Sometimes the simplest preparations are the most satisfying. These kid-approved squash wedges let the vegetable’s natural sweetness shine while adding appealing caramelized edges.

Cutting technique: Cut acorn or delicata squash into wedges, leaving the skin on for easier handling and attractive presentation.

Elegant Finishing Touches

Honey and Thyme Glazed Pearl Onions

These jewel-like onions add elegance to any holiday table. The honey glaze caramelizes beautifully, while fresh thyme adds an herbal note that complements rich main courses.

Fresh vs. frozen: If using fresh pearl onions, blanch for 3 minutes and shock in ice water before peeling. Frozen pearl onions can be used directly from the package.

Easy Root Vegetable Roast

This one-pan wonder accommodates everyone’s favourite vegetables while requiring minimal prep work. The key is cutting everything into uniform pieces so they cook evenly.

Seasoning suggestions:

Classic: rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper
Mediterranean: oregano, garlic, and lemon zest
Warming spices: cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika

Bread and Biscuit Accompaniments

Cheddar Herb Buttermilk Biscuits

These fluffy, flavourful biscuits are perfect for sopping up gravy and make excellent leftover turkey sandwiches. The combination of sharp cheddar and fresh herbs elevates them beyond ordinary dinner rolls.

Biscuit success tips:

Keep ingredients cold for the flakiest texture
Don’t overwork the dough
Cut straight down without twisting for maximum rise
Brush tops with melted butter for golden colour

Sophisticated Mashed Potato Variations

Tarragon Mashed Potatoes

For a grown-up twist on classic mashed potatoes, fresh tarragon adds an elegant, slightly licorice-like flavour that pairs beautifully with roasted meats and poultry.

Herb handling: Add fresh tarragon at the end to preserve its delicate flavour. If using pastis (an anise-flavoured liqueur), add just a splash—a little goes a long way.

Three Days Before

Shop for non-perishable ingredients
Make cornbread for stuffing if using
Prepare and freeze biscuit dough

Two Days Before

Shop for fresh ingredients
Prep vegetables (wash, peel, cut)
Make gravy base
Prepare cheese sauces for gratins

Day Before

Assemble casseroles and gratins (don’t bake)
Make complete stuffing (don’t bake)
Blanch vegetables that will be quickly sautéed
Make biscuit dough if not frozen

Day Of

Start with dishes that take longest to cook
Use oven space efficiently by planning cooking times
Prepare quick-cooking vegetables last
Reheat make-ahead dishes while turkey rests

Serving and Presentation Ideas

Family-Style Service

Serve sides in attractive serving dishes placed around the table, allowing guests to help themselves. This creates a warm, communal feeling perfect for family gatherings.

Buffet Setup

For larger gatherings, arrange sides on a separate buffet table in logical order: stuffings and breads first, followed by vegetables, then rich gratins and casseroles.

Individual Portions

Dishes like the cheesy potato cups and hasselback potatoes work beautifully as individual portions, adding an elegant touch to plated service.

Storage and Leftover Tips

Most of these side dishes keep well as leftovers and can be repurposed in creative ways:

Mashed potatoes become potato pancakes or shepherd’s pie topping
Stuffing works in breakfast hash or as a base for leftover turkey soup
Roasted vegetables are delicious in grain bowls or frittatas
Gratins reheat beautifully in the oven at 350°F until heated through

With these 21 delicious side dishes in your repertoire, you’ll be able to create holiday feasts that are both memorable and manageable. Remember, the best holiday meals are those shared with loved ones, so don’t stress about perfection—focus on creating delicious food and precious memories that will last long after the last bite is taken.